SAD's Grassroots Gamble: Sukhbir Badal Seeks Voter Feedback For Janta Manifesto' Before Polls

Chandigarh: After Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's door-to-door outreach, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has now taken a similar route to reconnect with voters ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal on October 6 launched the party's door-to-door 'Punjab Bachao' (Save Punjab) campaign from Doda village in Gidderbaha, seeking public feedback for the party's election manifesto.The timing of the campaign is significant. Mann has recently used door-to-door outreach to take the AAP government's report card directly to people amid criticism over drugs and governance. SAD is now taking its own route, but with a different pitch, asking voters what they want to see in the party's next election manifesto.READ | From 'Bai Sukhbir' to 'Vibe Punjab Di': Akali Dal Takes Gen-Z Outreach Route Ahead of 2027 Punjab PollsBadal said the party wants to prepare a “janta (public) manifesto” based on people's suggestions and has argued that election manifestos should be given legal status so that political parties can be held accountable for their promises.Drugs, Jobs, Welfare Dominate FeedbackDuring his visits, villagers raised the drug menace, unemployment and welfare schemes as key concerns. Women told Badal that drugs were destroying families and demanded stronger action against the menace, the party said. Badal told them ending drugs would be the top priority of a future SAD government and proposed stringent measures against drug offences and properties linked to drug traffickers.Voters also raised concerns over welfare benefits and employment. Badal announced that a future SAD government would provide 50 kg wheat at Rs 4 per kg under the atta-dal scheme, provide pulses at Rs 20 per kg, fill 3 lakh vacant government posts within a year and restore other welfare measures.He also promised an increase in old-age pension to Rs 3,100 per month, a Rs 1 lakh Shagun benefit and interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 lakh for youth entrepreneurship.The campaign comes as SAD works to rebuild its organisational connect with voters ahead of a multi-cornered 2027 contest. By seeking suggestions rather than simply presenting promises, the party is attempting to frame its manifesto as a document emerging from public feedback.